Legal Case Studies

£330,000 Psychiatric Injury Compensation

11 December 2013

Richards’s client was a primary school teacher and special educational needs co-ordinator. He was asked to assess the suitability of the placement of a pupil with severe autism at the school. He advised against the placement because the pupil's behavioural problems were too severe to be managed in mainstream schooling, but nevertheless the pupil was placed at the school.

The pupil was often violent to staff and other pupils, which culminated in an incident in which the other pupils had to be removed from the classroom for their own safety and our client was left alone to deal with the pupil with little other support.

Consequently Richard’s client suffered a psychiatric injury and found returning to school was mentally overwhelming and after three attempts at returning to teaching work, failed and he was medically retired.

The defendant initially denied liability, saying that the placement was properly assessed; however Richard was able to successfully settle the Employers Liability claim for the amount of £330,000 compensation.